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RIP: David Mirabella, Rationales frontman and beloved songwriter, has died

Photo Credit: Danny LeBlanc

There is sad news to pass along on this Thursday (April 28), as David Mirabella, frontman of The Rationales and one of the city’s most gifted and beloved songwriters, has died.

No further details have been made public at press time. The news was confirmed by Mirabella’s younger brother and bandmate, Mike, in a post on Facebook. It reads: “Today we all lost a brother. I’m overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support for me and my family. David Mirabella was my brother, my best friend, my music inspiration, and one hell of a band mate! I will miss you so fucking much. Rest easy big brother!”

Mirabella and The Rationales were stalwarts of the Boston music scene for 15 years, releasing two albums — 2011’s The Distance in Between and 2017’s Upstream — as well as a handful of singles and EPs. They were nominated for Americana Act of the Year in the 2017 and 2018 Boston Music Awards, and “Ready To Go” was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2018 BMAs. A singer and guitarist, Mirabella released a solo EP in 2020 called Laughing In Reverse, a collection of unreleased recordings.

That same year, Mirabella’s efforts in live streaming a new song each day during the pandemic was cited in our Year in Review coverage as one of “20 things in music to feel good about” during a difficult period for live music and performing artists. His daily performances were a source of light and hope for many.

“David Mirabella’s song-a-day lives tream performance series is Boston music vitality at its core,” we wrote. “The Rationales frontman and solo artist has been performing music every day on his personal Facebook page — 275 one-song shows, as of this writing — mixing in his own stuff with a wide spectrum of cover songs, from locals (GHOST GRL, Bill Janovitz, O Positive) to nationals (Radiohead, AA Bondy, Death Cab). And it all goes down in his wood-paneled basement.”

During Mirabella’s run that summer, Brendan Boogie wrote: “This simple act of musical service highlights not only Dave’s tremendous talent for and love of music, but also demonstrates how solid of a human being he is. If there’s one guy you can count on to never let you down, it’s Dave Mirabella.”

As news of his passing circulated on Thursday, many across the music scene offered their condolences on Facebook to a friend, colleague, and musician. Mirabella was praised both for his musical talents as well as the type of person he was.

“You will never find a sweeter, gentler, more authentic soul,” wrote Chris McManus. “Generous, excited and energetic.” Added Sean O’Brien: “So crushing to hear about the passing of David Mirabella of The Rationales. A gifted songwriter, a gentle soul, and a genuinely kind person. My heart goes out to all of his many friends and family. A truly sad loss.”

Photographer Matt Lambert described Mirabella as “an incredible human… will be sorely missed by everyone that knew him and the Boston music scene as a whole.”

Take a ride with some of The Rationales’ tunes below. RIP.